Children of Fangorn Forest
by UniversalIndicator
Summary: As Alissa steps forth past the tangled vines of Fangorn Forest she can't help but wonder at what is to come. As the Bloodrippers emissary she will walk where her father cannot, speak to all but forgotten allies and represent shifters to the best of her ability. She can only hope that she is successful. The world is too dark to afford any mistakes. A rewrite of 'Alissa.'
1. Chapter 1: Duty

She remembered that the sky had grown dark, shrouding the city in a curtain of ink. Where alcoves and side passages had once been wreathed in light and music, a coldness had settled instead, filled with a malice not seen since the dark ages. She remembered her father giving her the order to run as a hoard of snarling monsters crested the horizon, storming through the streets till the frigid air was replaced by the scent of burnt flesh, a rot that clung to everyone.

She didn't sleep for days, urged on as she was by people whose faces were long since lost to the ravages of time, blurred at the edges but familiar. There were but a handful of them from what she could remember and they had been tired when their king eventually prowled towards them with what remained of his warriors.

Victorious but grim. Their city had fallen but the hoard that had attempted to destroy them had been eliminated.

"Our people still live." The Bloodripper had said and she recalled his cape, ripped and torn as it was, caught in the wind in time with the tattered remains of a standard still gripped in a soldiers hand. "Our very culture is built around our ability to adapt. We will endure."

She didn't remember a lot after that, being as young as she was. But she did remember the river. It too was cold, but the waters had a desperate freshness to it. All around her her people were stumbling, their traditional garb with its heavy fabrics weighing them down through the rushing water as they scrambled, dignity forgotten amidst the horrors that came with losing their home. By the end of it, most had shed all but their basic layers of clothing, the ornate fabrics dragged by the current to some unknown shore, some shed their humanoid forms altogether.

Alissa was carried in her fathers arms, safe and secure in the knowledge that so long as he was there, there would be nothing on this good earth that could harm her. The remnants of Yor eventually settled within the boughs of Fangorn to seek whatever bounty and safety it could offer them.

* * *

Sleep had eluded Alissa for as long as she could remember. The moon called to her people and gifted them with dreams of memory. Most of the time, her dreams consisted of aspects of her daily routine, amusements from her peers and experiences granted by the depths of Fangorn. However recently, though never before had she believed in prophetic dreams, she saw dark crows wreathed in flame, stone archways crumbling beneath unseen claws and the sound of rhythmic drums.

While not something she would normally fear, the frequency and obscure nature of the dreams disturbed her and kept her from rest. She sat in the carved window of the hollowed out tree that was her abode and stared down at the faint flickering flames of the shifter guards on patrol beneath. Well known but no worn paths tracked their progress around the perimeter of their settlement, gentle murmurs of interaction every now and then but eyes were watching the shifting darkness around them, wary for signs of an intruder, rare as they were.

Their home was in the depths of Fangorn, well away from the influences of most cultures. With no formal trade with other races and no communications with any outsiders, Alissa wouldn't have been surprised if the tales of their race had become the things of legend. She imagined that no foreign scholar would have been surprised by their disappearance but she wondered if they mourned their loss? They had sent no word to their allies after the destruction of Yor and from what little remained of the city it would not take much stretch of the imagination to conclude that their entire race had perished. The few survivors that had mates and families with mortals and elves alike, the only reminders of a once proud people.

How surprised they would be, to discover that the ancient forests had housed their people, allowed them to build dwellings in the trees, with windows small enough that to any foreign traveler would appear to be nothing more than cracks in the bark as a result from age, doors high up in the branches to avoid detection. Thriving among the confines of nature, surviving on the wealth of resources the ancient boughs had to offer, lacking nothing but holding close to what it meant to be a shifter, the true values of change and challenge embraced with fierce devotion.

Their home, for the most part, would be invisible to all those without the eyes to see. She couldn't help the amused smirk that spread across her cheeks at the thought.

Alissa's stomach began to growl and rumble its way around her belly, so she decided to go and break her fast. She climbed up several flights of stairs that were part of the tree until she reached the larder. She grabbed a piece of fruit and a hunk of meat that was hanging from the ceiling. Placing both onto a piece of stale bread she wandered outside and sat down on a branch, high up in the treetops. She started tearing into the raw steak almost absentmindedly as she waited for her father to awaken.

It didn't take him long, the Bloodripper was a light sleeper, so attuned to his surroundings that the slightest disturbance in the air around him would cause him to sit bolt upright, ready to do damage if necessary.

Her father had aged greatly beneath the trees. He had grown a beard that settled just above his midriff, lines were etched deeply into his pale face and his eyes, once a vivid green, had gone dull with a blindness caused by a fire several centuries before. He had not remarried after the death of her mother and siblings during the fall of Yor. A small part of her didn't mind, it was just the two of them and that was how she liked it, although recently her father had begun pressuring her to find a mate to continue their line. She was content the way she was so resistant to the idea.

His leg was troubling him this morning, Alissa thought, noting the gnarled staff clutched tightly in his hand whilst the other clutched at the railing she herself had built into the wall several years before. But despite this, he was still immaculately dressed in his robes of silver, hair and beard neatly combed and a wide smile was plastered on his face when his blind eyes turned towards her.

"Alissa my child" he greeted her warmly, arms encircling her when she pushed herself to her feet. She hugged him back before releasing him to make him some tea.

She stoked the fire until it was hot enough for the water to boil before she collected the herbs he liked to place into the cup already sitting in front of his usual spot by the window.

As usual, he sat down heavily and placed his staff carefully out of the way so she wouldn't trip (as she had a number of times previously) and held his arm out the window. Alissa had barely begun to pour the steaming liquid into the king's cup before a bird alighted on his arm.

"Ho, Derian, what news do you bring to the king" Alissa queried politely as the bird shook his feathers to settle himself better on his awkward perch. He coughed once before replying "Your Majesty, your Highness I hope to find you in good health. I however, do not bring the usual morning report other than that our population has grown by two more after the birth of Maris's twin daughters"

Alistair smiled with real warmth at the news " So the tigress has borne heirs, I had wondered why the flow of pastries had ceased gracing our peoples tables." Maris was one of the women who had taken Alissa under their wing to better instruct on the ways of womanhood than her poor embarrassed father could when asked a question at the dinner table, and had been like a second mother to her as well as one of the many staff that worked within the bowels of the great tree where the royal family lived.

The bird coughed again before speaking again " I have also heard from a friend of mine who dwells close to Imladeris. Elrond Half-Elven it seems does not believe in the rumours of our demise and has attempted to send lesser birds as emissaries. It appears..." And here the birds words turned careful. "That you have been summoned to appear at a council." Both shifters gave a soft growl.

"SUMMONED! The elf lord thinks he can summon me like some deranged pup?!" Age had not soothed the temper of his youth nor his pride and Alistair completely lost his poor bird squeaked in fright and hopped delicately off his arm to perch on top of the sugar bowl.

Alissa laid a hand on her fathers shoulder until he quieted before she nodded at the bird "Speak friend, know no harm shall come to you, what is the nature of this council and what other manner of creatures have been summoned?"

"Many young mistress" Derian croaked, "Dwarves, men and even some little folk I know none about. It seems all the free peoples have been summoned."

An awkward pause.

"Thank you my friend, you may go" The bird looked nervously at the king, whose face still bore a thunderous expression before quickly taking flight out of the open window.

Alissa sighed and walked over to the larder to fix her fathers pre-banquet meal and said "You'd think that the birds of Derian's line would've worked out by now that we aren't going to eat them" bringing the plate back she slid into the chair next to her father and placed the dish in front of him. Food immediately smoothed the lines of temper and he gave a venting breath.

Unsheathing his claws, Alistair delicately picked off the strip of fat along the edge of the meat before picking it up in his hands to chew. "Its because it's the natural order of things Alissa, it is only natural that he, as the smaller being, sees himself as subject to those laws of nature and can only hope that we find it in ourselves to disregard him as dinner."

Alissa laughed "Yes but I would never eat him, feathers are awfully hard to pick out of ones teeth."

Alistair smiled his agreement before sobering "What matter would be so important that the elf lord would want my council?" Alissa knew the question was not directed at her and so did not voice her opinion, not that she had a clue.

Alistair ran his hand through his hair in agitation "He has a nerve to ask such a thing of me! We have been sitting here in our forest for millennia and never has he had the gall to extend the hand of friendship for fear. He is a coward! And cowards do what they do best" he said bitterly, meat laid aside. "This is likely some sort of quest he cannot find within himself to do, so must send others to in his stead."

"But father, why now of all times. You and I both know of the shadow descending over the forest. You cannot tell me this is mere coincidence that can be dismissed as an elvish trick. Why not answer the summons?"

Alistair looked down at his plate "I cannot be seen as weak my daughter, this Half-Elven has dared to _summon _me. My pride forbids me from answering, my honor recoils at the notion that I would bow down to this Elfs wishes, despite the logic you present to me." His unseeing eyes raised to gaze in the direction her voice had come from. "Not to mention that my form is diminished," he said softly. "T'would be that I do not survive the journey to his lofty halls. But in my heart I feel that we must go. My will is torn."

They sat in silence for a long while until the sun was high enough that the shadowy shapes of the surrounding leaves filtered through the window to stretch across the room. It was then that Alissa spoke "Then it is I who shall answer the summons father."

Expecting to hear him negate against her, she was surprised to find that he only sighed and nodded before looking out the window, a single tear dripping down his weathered cheek.

Alissa rose fluidly from her chair and padded over to stand behind him. She rested her head on his shoulder and rubbed her cheek against his briefly before she moved away to begin packing for the journey to the elven city. There was no reason to hesitate. A decree had been made and the darkness of the forest had rubbed her nerves raw. Something inside her that had been pressuring for change was gentled as soon as permission had been given and there was no telling how out of date Derians news would be.

She would need to travel light, as she would get there faster than the three weeks if she traveled in her animal form. As such she would only take her three knives, a satchel with her royal garb and a few tunics and leggings, enough food for a week (she'd have to hunt when the time arose).

It didn't take her long to pack, so she just stood around staring at the room that had been hers for several long years and the weight of what she had decided to do began to push onto her shoulders. She had never left Fangorn since the fall of Yor and the other memories she possessed of the outside world were vague to the point of non-existence.

The room appeared timeless, in her eyes. Nothing much had changed in the years she had been there. There was still the same bed she had been tucked up into every night after her father had bade the councilors leave, the marks on her armoire from her badly aimed knife practice, the chest filled with all the things a child has, stones and twigs of particular significance or interest, toys, scuffed and marked with age and also…the only thing left of her mother. The ream of silk that had been bought for her all those years ago had been placed in the chest to only be brought out on special occasions. She still didn't know how it had been saved in the frenzy of destruction but it bought her great comfort for sometimes, if she concentrated hard enough, she could catch a faint whiff of her mothers perfume.

She knelt in front of the box and lifted the lid up. It creaked loudly in the stillness of the room. She rifled through a few of her treasures until she reached the latch at the bottom. She flicked it and it popped smartly open. She pulled out the shimmering cloth. It was indeed beautiful. Swirly silver was threaded through until the gold appeared to ripple like water. A mockery of the fate that had befallen them, Alissa morbidly thought. She lifted the material closer to her nose and sniffed gently. Underneath the layers of scents the passing years had left on them, sticky fingers, earth and dust, she could still smell her. Her mother had always worn the most exotic of perfumes, her father had told her, each day she tried several on like an variety of candies a child might sneak from a stoic parent until she was satisfied that her scent matched her mood.

It was sweet yet heady at the same time. Vanilla and caramel, Roses and Dahlias or apples and cinnamon. After all these years Alissa still couldn't decide what it was.

She decided it was too precious a gift to take with her and she gently folded it to place into her bag. Then, when she looked at the few items in the satchel already, rushed around the room to gather the things she missed. She would need to look somewhat decent when she arrived in the elven city.

At the last minute chucking a shawl inside the bag in case of cold weather, however unlikely, she left the room without a second glance.

Her father was still sitting at the table and she sat down in the opposing chair.

"I should not ask if you are ready." Her father said with a wry smile. "You are a woman grown, of a strong lineage. But you are a child of Fangorn and the world you walk towards is strange to us. I bid you care."

"I will return with news father." Alissa bowed her head and her fathers hand rested on it briefly before it trailed away as a signal to depart.

* * *

AN:

Welcome to Alissa!

It took awhile to decide how I would approach Alissa for a rewrite after I discovered the unfinished, unpolished fanfiction that I had started during my first year as an undergraduate. 5 years is a long time but it is great to be walking alongside Alissa once more. Constructive feedback is appreciated but not necessary. I will try to keep updates regular. I hope you enjoyed the chapter. :D


	2. Chapter 2: The Journey Begins

Of course she was nervous, stepping out into the big wide world, but she still felt ridiculous as she hesitated at the edge of the forest. Part of her knew it was to only be expected. The plains of long grasses outside of Fangorn stretched further than her eyes could see. There was no hint of cover and her skin itched at the imminent exposure. Sunlight was unfiltered by over-hanging canopies and it burned at her untested eyes even from the cool provided by the shadows of the trees.

The grass rippled in the wind like water and the plains seemed… so lonely. She looked back into the depths of the trees, the groaning of ancient boughs as the trees sleepily talked with each other was comforting and familiar. Her eyes returned to the plains and took a cautious step forward.

Then another and another.

Soon she was walking… well a strange sort of walk as she ran her bare feet over the crumbling dirt and strangely strong fronds of grass, It felt strange but nice, almost like the satisfaction of achieving a good scratch on the back. The sunlight, once her eyes had adjusted, was warm and inviting, the occasional gust of wind rippled around her and kept her feeling refreshed. Part of her wanted to curl up where she was and soak in the new sensations.

A distinct clearing of a throat and her eyes darted to her escorts, waiting patiently a few paces ahead for her word to depart.

Gin and Tyro were brothers which, while one was as dark as the other was fair, was evident to even those who did not know them from the way they held themselves. Supplies were draped over Gin's shoulders and both were dressed in light armor for ease of movement and travel.

"My lady, we should not linger any longer than necessary." Tyro's voice was respectful with a thread of apology through it. "It is a long way to Imladris and we do not know who else might be watching."

Alissa nodded in acknowledgement and looked out at the great expanse, a strange longing growing within her. Oh how good it would be to remove her human skin and run as fast as the wind now dusting the landscape! But the pressing need to reach Imladris in the short time amounted to them halted that line of thought and with it, Alissa squashed down the wanting to the back of her mind, promising herself that she would return to indulge in these thoughts once their business with the elves was concluded.

Her escorts could not run as fast as she could, the limits of their animals suited for short bursts of speed rather than stamina, but they made good pace at her brisk jog. The forests of Fangorn had long since disappeared and with this pace it was likely that they would reach their destination within the week, if the ancient maps her father had drawn were still accurate.

She was forced to wear boots for the first time as the crumbling dirt gave way to sharp stones and shrapnel. The leather was strange and had yet to properly mold itself to her feet. It was uncomfortable.

They stopped for a rest a few hours after the sun disappeared over the horizon. Gin groaned as he deposited their supplies on the ground before he slumped down next to them. Tyro rolled his eyes at his friends theatrics but busied himself with settling them a meal. He would likely be able to sympathize with his friend on the morrow after it was his turn to carry the heavy satchels.

* * *

A few days later saw the trio observing a forest, not quite as ancient as their own, but a strange energy distorted it and it made them reluctant to venture inside.

This must be the edges of the elves territory. The near artful perfection of the trees did not offer comfort but, as Gin pointed out, there was almost an obscene amount of birdsong and the fluttering creatures would not hesitate to take flight should there be a true threat hiding within.

Despite the logic, they camped on the outskirts for the night and set forth refreshed the next morning, eyes alert and darting towards any small movements. A sharp odor emanated from the forest and it made her feel light headed and dizzy. Something was near them.

Tyro, who had ventured ahead, sent a short sharp call. Something had moved outside the typical forest behavior. Alissa closed her eyes as she walked and tried to focus on her breathing, listening with her superior hearing to try and locate it. She opened her eyes when she bumped gently into Gins outstretched forearm. Without words, all three pulled up the hoods of their travelling cloaks in time to see lithe figures nearly melt from the surrounding trees.

Bows stretched taut, arrows polished and sharp, the elves made for an impressive force even in small numbers.

Gin let off a warning growl but aside from pushing down his arm so that she could move to be slightly in front of him, Alissa tried not to react to the _snick_ of swords being removed from the guards own scabbards at the obvious threat.

She said nothing when one of the elves mirrored her and said something to her. Not because she was being rude but because she genuinely didn't understand what the dark-haired elf was saying. For all she knew, though she doubted it, he could be discussing the weather. Elvish had not been a requirement for her to learn and it never occurred to her that she might be greeted in such a manner.

Still, despite the likelihood that the elves had been watching them, there was nothing saying that the elves had realized that their targets could not speak the same language. It would explain their rudeness, especially as it was unlikely that Alissa and her party were exactly expected.

But she knew that most elves would have some understanding of Westron, a tongue used by mortal men and while she had never used it before outside her lessons with the few mortals that lived among her people, _hopefully_ she would be able to string a few words together to form a coherent sentence.

She placed a closed hand over her heart in a brief salute before speaking, her words slow and unsure. "Is it common for elves to greet their guests, " she paused as she searched for the word, "with hostility?"

"These are dark times and we do not possess the luxury of greeting strangers as friends, Who are you and what business do you have in Imladris?" the elfs Westron was brisk and impatient, as if eager to depart or run them through, hands steady on his bow with no hint of lowering it.

Alissa glanced back at her companions, Tyro had moved silently behind her to flank her right side while she had talked and she sighed before she gestured at them to lower their weapons. They hesitated but eventually obeyed her silent command.

She noticed that the gesture was not lost on the watching elven and all but a few lowered their own weapons.

She turned back to the original speaker. "We have traveled far to answer the call of Elrond Half-Elven. Our peoples have a vested interest in the secrecy of a council that he has summoned other free peoples to."

The elf remained stoic. "Who are you to have received a summons. I do not recognize your bearing."

"I am Alissa, daughter of the Bloodripper. Leader of the last peoples of Yor, long may his claws rend his enemies." She watched the elves eyes widen slightly in recognition, "We are His Majesty's response to your Lords call."

The introduction appeared to satisfy the elves and tense shoulders visibly relaxed. Alissa let out a shaky breath.

"Forgive us, Lady Alissa but we were not expecting you." One of the elves came forward, "Please allow us to accompany you into the city to await the pleasure of Lord Elrond."

She nodded again and tensed slightly when the elves surrounded them on all sides to 'escort' them. They were too close, the sharp scents coming from their bodies was cloying her nose and leaving her blind to everything else. It was like a headache to her senses.

Her nose wrinkled and she tried hard to breathe discreetly though her mouth. Luckily for her, once they passed the narrow paths by an old waterfall, the elves stepped away slightly to allow the shifters some space. Soon the great walls of an elven city rose up from the trees. For all the strangeness of the elfs forest, the city was beautiful.

Shame that it all reeked of elf.

The buildings were whimsical and the backdrop was that of Autumn. Statues of maidens flowed up into delicate curves which ended in glistening spires. Steps carved from one block of stone were flawless and bright in the sunlight. There were patios everywhere as if the elves thought to welcome nature into their homes. But Alissa could see, even from this distance, that it was a limited invitation. The trees surrounding the city were too perfect; ramrod straight and pale as moonlight, and the flowers too luminous to have been designed by nature.

There was no denying that it was beautiful, yet at the same time the beauty was too strange to be apart of this world, as if it was a separate from it.

She didn't like it.

"Lady Alissa." A gentle tap before Tyro bent down to whisper in her ear. "The elf grows impatient." he said, a jerk of his head indicating the elf in question, body tense with waiting. She heeded his silent demand.

They came within a elegant patio which opened onto a leafed corridor. It was serene, dust motes illuminated by the warm sun, comforting in the comparatively wild and twisted vines hanging limply over its sides. Roots from trees standing guard about the space provided a gnarled floor, complete with lichen and the collected brambles, leaves and twigs from the vegetation.

There were two doors here and the elf directed them to stand at their openings.

"Your rooms are here. I suggest you take this opportunity to freshen yourselves before you you greet my Lord."

"Thank you." Alissa dipped her head courteously, "Where might we find your lord?"

"He normally greets guests in that tellon over there." The elf pointed something out that the shifters couldn't see behind the vined walls. The elf rolled his eyes at their blank expressions, fingers twitching as if itching to return to the border to draw his bow, which he very likely was!

Tyro growled lowly in his throat, causing the elf to tense but supply the information. "Just continue down this corridor. Make a right, then a left. You'll know him when you see it. Passersby should be helpful should you require further assistance."

"Perhaps you could show us?" Alissa asked but the elf shook his head.

"Much as I would delight in entertaining cubs in the forest, my duty lies elsewhere. I bid you welcome to Imladris." and without another word, the elf turned sharply on his heel and sauntered away.

Gin let out a breath and made to follow him but Alissa grabbed his arm. "It was an offhand comment and not likely to cause offence." she soothed before her words turned to caution, "We are in _their_ territory. It would be unwise to make a fuss over little and still be taken seriously during the council."

The three shifters, alone in unfamiliar territory as Alissa had reminded them, talked for a little longer outside their rooms before they took the elfs advice and made to freshen up.

When Alissa entered the room she noticed that the smell of elf, despite being within the city, was not as strong here. Light drifted in with a greenish tinge through the small, ornate window. A sheet of gossamer material floated dreamily across its surface. The furniture was not only styled with the graceful flukes of elvish culture, it appeared sturdy and comfortable.

The linen on the bed looked crisp, not a crease marred its surface and there was a fluffy ..._something_ that she didn't understand lying against the headboard. It was too squishy to be used as a squab….She held it to her nose and inhaled with curiosity. It smelled of the soap the elves had used for the linen. Perhaps it was something to rest her feet on?

Nevertheless, it was a beautifully presented room and she felt truly welcomed by the small kindnesses she glimpsed as she freshened the road from her skin. She silently thanked whoever had put together the room. It was almost if… their people had been truly expected?

She quickly unpacked, donned her royal garb that had somehow remained without creases in its roll inside her pack, flicked some water from the pitcher through her hair and walked briskly back out the door, Part of her was reluctant to leave the room, tired as she suddenly was, but manners had been instilled in her bones since she first began to toddle about Middle Earth regardless of whether she had anyone new to practice them on after growing up in a forest.

Gin and Tyro were waiting for her, their elaborate clasps on their silvery hooded cloaks demonstrating their rank and stature within her clan. She smiled toothily at them, canines bared in a grimace that they returned. They too were tired but it was their duty that bid them not show it.

The tellon, as the elf had suggested, was easy to find.

A dark haired elf stood waiting. He was clad in robes that looked like an auburn waterfall and his hair was held back by a delicate circlet. Attendants stood about him but were unremarkable, pale in comparison to the vibrant lord they waited on.

"I greet you Lady Alissa, daughter of the Bloodripper, may his teeth and claws remain sharp and resolute!" Alissa was so shocked to be greeted in her native language that she almost forgot to reply. She quickly gathered herself and received a gentle smile of patience in return.

"I greet you Lord Elrond, child of two worlds and way-watcher of this age. I must thank you for your hospitality and your patience. " She paused, "Word of your efforts to contact us is as much appreciated as it is surprising."

The elf lord inclined his head. "This matter concerns all free folk, it would've been remiss of me to ignore your people regardless of the effort expended. Perhaps the tide of darkness can be shifted should we all band together to confront it." His eyes seemed to reflect his years and his skin appears grayed by the weight of whatever it was he alluded to.

"What causes your fear?" Alissa inquired but the elf lord shook his head, hand raised as if to physically halt her words.

"Nay my Lady. I bid you rest and a break of your fast before we turn the talk to council. All will be revealed there."

"When might this council commence?"

Elrond's grin turned sly, as if remembering a humorous joke, "Now that you are here, before the sun reached high noon."

Alissa didn't get it. Humor after all, doesn't transfer well across languages.

* * *

The she-cat had had a rather generous meal of rabbit stew with a fresh loaf to soak the dregs and she was feeling pleasantly full and sleepy. Tyro and Gin had already bid her goodnight, warning her about straying too far out of their hearing range before retiring.

The elf maid who came to collect her dishes had told Alissa (halting communication as the elfs westron and Alissas elvish were sorely lacking) that there was a library down the western flight of stairs that she had spied on her way to the tellon.

Alissa endeavored to find it, in order to familiarize herself with current events and peoples as they were in this modern age. Her education was sorely lacking, fed in tiny droplets by the few humans some shifters took as mates across the centuries. A map would be useful as well. The borders of her forest were nearly muscle memory but she remembered the plains… how far they stretched… and knew that she needed to find out as much as possible about this new world before she met its inhabitants in close proximity on the morrow.

The candle she had bought with her had burned down to pool in its saucer before she thought about leaving the vaulted room, filled with tomes in as many languages as there were stars, maps strewn across texts she had managed to find with scattered hints of her language, considered dead. An amusing thought.

She sighed and arched the kinks out of her spine before she returned her attention to the text in front of her, a generous retelling of the founding riders of the Riddermark. It was strange how such a foreign, fascinating people could live on her people's doorstep and yet know nothing about them.

Alissa saw something glint in the guttering candlelight. Up a flight of stairs there lay a statue with its back to her. Curious, she decided to investigate it before she turned in for the night.

The statue held a plinth with the scattered remains of what must have been a mighty blade. It seemed foolish for the elves to keep such a token in this way…

She felt rather than saw the humans presence and her animal skin skittered underneath. She bit back a warning growl and turned to face the newcomer. It was a male, thick beard and full head of hair. Skin unblemished and smooth. Taller, no doubt, than Alissa was herself and built as if he lived in the wilds. He smelled like it too.

The man looked up when he noticed her watching him and gave a quiet smile and nod in greeting that she did not return.

"Why do you hide here?" Alissa near demanded of him in Westron, concerned at how the human had managed to elude her notice for the many hours she had been here. She fought back the blush when the mortal quirked his eyebrow at her.

"There is no need to hide in a place of knowledge." His tone was friendly. "The tomes here do not mind who reads them, I myself have enjoyed several on occasion."

She kept staring at him.

He shifted slightly from his casual sprawl in the alcove to a more structured at-rest position. "Is there something I can help you with my lady?"

"How long have you been here?" she asked, the rude demand kept out of her voice by a hair's breadth but still implied.

"How do you mean?" he asked softly.

"I did not smell you. I did not hear you. To my people, this would imply intent."

"Perhaps you were just focused on your book?" he suggested with a smile. "I saw that you had several on that table. I feel I should warn you that it is impossible to read the full extent of this library in one evening."

Alissa bit back a hiss. For some reason she felt uncomfortable and it was not just the fact that he had managed to sneak passed her. There was something… unsteady about the man's scent and it was… not completely natural.

"Perhaps. " She eventually responded, eyes cutting away from his when she heard the sound of approaching footsteps.

It might have been rude and also made the situation just slightly awkward, but Alissa turned on her heel and went back down the stairs without another word. She closed the tomes she had been reading, rolled up the map, picked up the guttering candle before walking briskly to her room.

A strange meeting, she thought sleepily to herself as she laid curled up around the squishy squab not long after.

Her dreams were stranger.

* * *

Reworking this chapter took awhile. It encompassed 3 chapters of the original fic and still ends with her falling asleep! 3 chapters that I had ended with her sleeping... Guess things don't change after all?

Let me know what you think if you have a mind, constructive criticism and feedback is welcome.


	3. Chapter 3: A Meeting of Worlds

The next day dawned bright and early for Alissa, although it was not the sun that woke her. The sound of hooves, rare though they had been outside of the hunt, was thunderous as they passed her window at an ungodly hour. She was so startled that her claws had unsheathed themselves from their beds and she was up before her mind had truly awoken.

Once she had established the source of the noise she let out a snarl and swept a hand through her hair, forgetting about the claws.

Eyes now watering, trickles of blood creeping down her forehead and hair a righteous mess, it was a wonder that Tyro and Gin didn't immediately turn away once they burst through her door in horror. As it was, the idiots laughed as they sheathed their weapons before bidding her a good morning… _a good morning_!... before returning to their rooms.

It was a minor annoyance but it soured her mood against the diplomatic image she had hoped to present at he council later that day. To say she was nervous would have been an understatement. Her guts clenched and her hands shook as she virtually climbed into her council garb.

_Fear is but prey_.

Her father's favorite phrase. Whenever she had asked him how he had stood his ground against a goblin hoard during the fall of their people he had told her, in the simplest terms possible, that he was not afraid.

"To show a person fear is to give them a power over you cub. Let no one believe themselves to be your master." As a young man her father had been brash and arrogant and had had no idea how to raise the small girl who had lain curled up in his lap, eyes wide with adoration. He had done his best and the depth of his care lay in how his hand had rested against the cubs back, armoured fingers sheathed with gentleness. His eyes had been the fiercest of blues, she remembered, his tone dismissive with his own power. "Fear is but prey."

She snapped out of the flashback and worked on her breathing. It had been so easy for him, she thought. How did she make it so that she was not prey to her fear? Her stomach rolled with anxiety... Oh she didn't think she could eat!

_Fear is but prey._

He had said those words to her and she held onto them desperately. She could use his guidance. The elves, though polite thus far, were not her kin. She had no idea what to say and what to do without making herself, and by extension her people, look the fool. So much was riding on this first meeting, lords above… it must've been nearly a century since her people had last exposed themselves, content with their lot and their own.

She fastened the last belt and tied the shoulder straps of the dress. She had been warned by Miani, one of the women who helped care for their young cubs while their parents partook the hunt, that their traditional garb was considered scandalous by common standards and, while it was beautiful, she couldn't help but observe it critically.

It was a dark blue which was pretty against her dark skin, form-fitting and easy to move in should she decide to shift. A lot of her hips were exposed as the folds fell away from one of the belts at her waist and pooled in a graceful tumble of fabric to rest against her bare ankles. She fastened a silver cloak at the base of her neck and allowed the material to grant her modesty in the eyes of the council members. It was better to be safe than sorry, or so she had been told.

She kept her feet bare and that small rebellion gave her comfort.

* * *

Her guards were not as worried about the effect their peoples attire would have on the public.

They looked magnificent, hair combed out yet wild about their shoulders, chests bare aside from the clanking metal of their family sigils and adornments. Their arms and legs were half encased with fitted bangles and polished to a high shine, loose pants a bright red with yellow stitching.

Tyro smirked at her appraising look before they fell into step behind her. "Your lead my lady."

A thought struck her as she walked with purpose to the talon where the meeting would be held. She would likely be the first of her kind to be seen by the other races in several centuries. She wondered: what would they think of her? Would they find her remarkable? Unremarkable? Exotic or too different to be welcomed into the fold?

She cursed herself for her selfish thoughts. She was not here for the opinions of men, elves or dwarves. She was here for her people. Why should she give a care to the opinions of others? They didn't matter.

It wasn't as if she was about to meet the heroes and people in her stories. Gods above! Why was she so jittery?

* * *

It didn't take Alissa long to acknowledge that she was lost within this maze of elven architecture. It seemed that no one lived here either, seeing as the terraces were empty of any kind of living creature bar the birds.

She sighed as she rounded another corner to face a dead end. Surely… these impossible pathways would all connect at some point!

Gin stifled a cough into his arm, bangles clanking slightly with the movement and Alissa felt her eyes narrow. She resisted the urge to hiss and instead allowed her tight leash on her senses to drift around them.

She sniffed the air and tried to ignore the watering of her eyes when the faux scents the elves enjoyed slammed into her. She believed that the highest concentration of the smells would be where the council was. She turned her nose and started heading towards another corridor, one they had earlier dismissed due to its presence near the library.

There was also a homely scent of damp earth. Lots of it. That had to count as a heady clue, she thought to herself, from the way everything _gleamed_ no elf would ever want dirt in their midst.

It was a gamble that paid off.

The patio she came to was flooded with sunlight and leaves, as well as a variety of different creatures she was unfamiliar with. She noticed that mostly everyone was seated so when she came in through the elaborately carved archways, they were all free to stare.

Alissa, by shear force of will, kept the blush from her cheeks and her steps light, schooling her features to a polite calm.

Lord Elrond remained standing and was kind enough to greet them once again in their own language.  
"Greetings friends." The shifters acknowledged him with a gentle bowing of their proud heads. "I trust that you have found peace in our halls?"

"I would find it tedious to find fault in your hospitality." Alissa replied politely, "Officially I must first apologize for my lateness and the absence of my father, he could not bring himself to leave our people and sent me as his ambassador."

"We acknowledge and thank you for the explanation." Was it just her or did Alissa detect the slightest flicker of disappointment in the Elf lords eyes. What? Did he think she had concealed her father beneath her cloak?

Alissa sat on the seat Lord Elrond directed her into. It was surprisingly comfortable but narrow, it was an interesting balance between comfort and dignity. She prayed that she did not fall off and ruin the image they were carefully cultivating for their people.

Tyro and Gin refused to sit in their seats, choosing instead to stand on either side of her in what she knew would be an imposing image.

She felt eyes attempting to bore their way into their skin and she met most of them until they were forced to look away. Pathetic, she inwardly scoffed, had they not been warned, as she had been for their people, not to stare at her and her kin?

One pair of eyes did not back down however but when she met them, she was surprised to notice the lack of threat in them, just simple curiosity. The blond elf smiled at her and she hesitated to return it, keeping her expression aloof until the smile was chased away by Elronds calling the council to order.

"Strangers from distant lands, friends of old. You have been summoned here to answer the threat of Mordor." Here the elf let a weighty pause follow his words before he continued, "Middle Earth stands on the brink of destruction. None can escape it. You will unite or you will fall. Each race is bound to this fate, this one doom."

The elf then stood and gestured towards the pedestal in the center of the council. "Bring forth the Ring, Frodo."

Alissa was surprised when a child-like creature rose from his seat next to a figure cloaked in grey and placed a gold ring directly in the middle. He then made his way to his seat, a look of utmost relief plastered on his young face.

Evil was tangible in the air and Alissa could smell the fear as well as the desire it brought with. Whispers and mutterings sounded around the circle, each member interpreting the siren call of the ring in a different way.

All eyes were snared on the seemingly harmless object, mesmerized.

Alissa herself could not help but stare at it. She wanted it, wouldn't it look pretty on one of her fingers? All she had to do was reach out and take it, kill the others if necessary to gain what she truly desired.

Truly desired? It was not right to kill outside of hunting and protection. Ah but think about it, the voice urged, power at your very fingertips, the lack of fear…

These thoughts were not her own. The voice in her mind was oily and smelled of rot. Alissa wrenched herself away from its influence, a warning growl leaving her lips, surprise giving way to the fear. That thing, she eyed the ring warily, was not natural.

As if in answer to its silent call a man from the south, a white tree emblazoned on his tunic, stepped forward, catching her attention.

"In a dream, I saw the eastern sky grow dark. But in the West a pale light lingered. A voice was crying: Your doom is near at hand. Isildur's bane is found."

He walked over to the pedestal as if he were indeed in a dream; his movements jerky like that of a marionette. His fingers hovered over the ring and he muttered as if to himself, "Isildur's Bane."

Just before his fingers could brush the surface of the little object, Elrond leapt up and loudly exclaimed "Boromir!". But this wasn't what forced the man to sit back down. The man in grey sitting next to the child stood and began chanting in a horrible tongue and although she couldn't understand the words, Alissa felt her blood turn cold and her head began to pound in time to his chant. She clutched at her ears and curled over in her seat, just as the smell of rot escalated. Her guards made a valiant effort to remain staunch and tall, but Alissa could see the way they were leaning against her chair.

As quickly as it had come, the chanting stopped and Alissa vaguely noticed that the man had stopped speaking, and that she wasn't the only one breathing heavily.

Elrond finally brought himself to speak "Never before has any voice uttered the words of that tongue here in Imladris!"

The man in grey replied a little gruffly, "I do not ask your pardon, Master Elrond, for the black speech of Mordor may yet be heard in every corner of the West! The ring," he spat, "Is altogether Evil". He shot Boromir a final scathing glance before he took his seat.

Unperturbed however, Boromir spoke, "Ah but it is a gift! A gift to the foes of Mordor. Why not use this ring?" He got up and began to pace in front of them all, "Long has my father, the steward of Gondor, kept the forces of Mordor at bay. By the blood of our people are your lands kept safe! Give Gondor the weapon of the enemy. Let _us_ use it against him."

"You cannot wield it! None of us can. The One Ring answers to Sauron alone. It has no other Master." A man, that Alissa quickly identified as the one that had managed to sneak up on her in the library the previous evening, spoke up from the shadows.

"And what would a ranger know of this matter?" Boromir demanded of him, no doubt eyeing his barely civilised appearance.

But the dismissal of the man irked her and while she did not quite no why, Alissa spoke up. "Enough to permit him access to this council Boromir, son of Man." Her words were heavily accented and for a brief moment she was filled with anxiety as she pondered whether or not they had understood her. Her thoughts were interrupted by the blond elf springing lightly to his feet.

"This is no mere ranger. He is Aragorn, son of Arathorn. _You_ owe him your allegiance." His voice was soft and fluid, like water trickling across velvet. But the tone was hard and his eyes were glaring razors at Boromir.

The man in question had a stunned expression on his face. "Aragorn? This…is Isildur's heir?" He reassessed the ranger.

The elf piped up again "And heir to the throne of Gondor." He looked like he would say more, the elfs smile spoke of mischief at the mortal mans arrogant bearing but Aragorn said something in elvish and the elf sat down.

Boromir finally spat out after a short pause. "Gondor has no king. Gondor needs no king." He sat down and spent the rest of the council staring daggers at Aragorn.

The grey man spoke up then as if the short banter had never occurred "Aragorn is right. We cannot use it"

"You have only one choice…. The ring must be destroyed" A small part that Alissa knew was still under the influence of the ring sank at Elrond's words, a further worry settling deep into the pit of her stomach.

"Then what are we waiting for?" A red haired dwarf stood up abruptly, fisted an axe in his hand and swung it up into the air to be brought down on the ring with a resounding crash.

The dwarf was repelled back into his fellows and a wince from the child caused Alissa's attention to be diverted from the actions of the dwarf.

Shards of the axe flew about everywhere but the ring still sat in the center of the pedestal, unharmed and seemingly mocking them in its wholeness. It began to whisper in its foul tongue yet again.

"The Ring cannot be destroyed Gimli, son of Gloin by any craft that we here possess. The ring was made in the fires of Mount Doom. Only there can it be unmade. It must be taken deep into Mordor and cast back into the fiery chasm from whence it came." Elrond paused to sweep them all with his sharp eyes before saying clearly. "One of you, must do this."

A deep and heavy silence weighed down on the council at Elrond's words. Broken only by the Son of Gondor who broke his stare to uttered, horrified, "One does not simply walk into Mordor. Its black gates are guarded by more than just Orcs. There is evil there that does not sleep. And the great Eye is ever watchful. It is a barren wasteland. Riddled with fire, ash and dust, the very air you breathe is a poisonous fume. Not with ten thousand men could you do this. It is Folly."

The elf from before stood up in indignation "Have you heard _nothing _of what Lord Elrond has said, the Ring must be destroyed!"

"And I supposed you think you're the one to do it?" Gimli bellowed, unnecessarily Alissa thought.

Boromir rose menacingly and stood in front of the elf. "And if we fail, what then?! What happens when Sauron takes back what is his?"

Gimli couldn't help himself and added, "I will be dead before I see the ring in the hands of an elf!"

Utter uproar rose as the races fired up and began shouting things at each other, arguing and talking over one another to voice their opinions, not all of them centered on the matter at hand.

Alissa couldn't help a small smile that spread briefly on her face and she leaned over to talk to Gin. "Politics amuse me," she said, this was familiar. All that was needed for them to feel more at home was some overgrown trees and the threat of claws.

Gin chuckled, "It seems that all free peoples would be united by this... manner of debate." He was quick to sober however and his gaze hardened on the party in front of him. Tyro had shifted ever so slightly in front of Alissa and she heard the distinct _shing_ as he half removed his sword from its scabbard.

Just when the intensity of the arguments began to increase, the child stood up and yelled "I will take it!" and when the commotion refused to die down, he repeated again, only louder "I will take it!"

At this the commotion died down completely and a silence full of disbelief fell upon them all. Frodo now had the ring in his hand and seemed to shrink in on himself slightly when all the eyes focused on him again yet his voice sounded strong and true. "I will take the ring to Mordor. Though…I do not know the way."

The grey-beard walked towards Frodo. "I will help you bear this burden Frodo Baggins, as long as it is your burden to bear."

Aragorn rose to kneel in front of him. "If by my life or death I can protect you, I will." he vowed, "You have my sword."

"And you have my bow." The blond elf wandered over leisurely to join them. The casualness that he delivered the binding oath was enviable. What was it like, Alissa wondered, to be that carefree?

"And my axe." the dwarf growled, seemingly unwilling to be outdone by an elf.

Alissa felt a strange urge come over her and she rose slowly to her feet. Ignoring the whispers of her guards, she walked forward towards the child. She tried to ignore how his wide eyes stared at her and attempted to appear gentle.

"My home is in the Forests of this world. This... evil, " There really was no other way to explain it, "Is not of the natural order. Change itself will be required for this task." A sense of calm helped her to swear the last of her oath. "I will defend you tooth and claw till your task is done youngling." She then swept over to stand at his side; stubbornly ignoring the looks her frantic guards were shooting her.

Boromir, to her surprise was the next to stand and pledge himself. "You carry the fate of us all little one. If this is indeed the will of the council…then Gondor will see it done."

"Heh!" The sound startled her and her claws unsheathed themselves as her body tensed but relaxed when another child came out to stand with his arms folded next Frodo. "Mr. Frodo is going nowhere without me!"

"No indeed it is hardly possible to separate you two even when he is summoned to a secret council and you are not." Although his words were reprimanding, Elronds tone was altogether amused.

"Wait!" Two more children broke out into a run from where they had concealed themselves behind the pillars. "We're coming too!"

Elrond looked alarmed for a moment at their appearance but the two quickly slowed to a stop to stand next to Frodo on his other side. "You would have to send us home in a sack to stop us!"

One of them continued "And you need people of intelligence on this sort of mission…. quest…. thing."

His friend merely said "Well that rules you out Pip." A all but unseen shoving match commenced until a sharp kick from the grey-beard put a stop to it.

"Ten companions…" Elrond mused, "So be it! You shall be the fellowship of the Ring."

One of the children then said naively. "Right, where are we going?"

Alissa could not help but stare at the youngling in disbelief.

* * *

Chapter 3. Hope you enjoyed. Feedback is appreciated but not necessary. I am going to try and have another chapter up by the end of this week if not before-hand.


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